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A nutritionist is a person who advises people on dietary matters relating to health, well-being and optimal nutrition. It should be noted that anyone (whether with or without formal specialised education) can refer to themselves as a nutritionist. There is no regulatory body for nutritionists.
Nutritionists should not be confused with dietitians (although the latter may sometimes describe themselves as nutritionists). Dietitians are health care professionals who have received specialised formal accredited tertiary education and training, and undertake internship in hospitals, and who are required to adhere to their regulatory body's code of conduct. They are also the only non-medically-trained healthcare professionals permitted to practise clinically in hospitals or healthcare facilites.
Many nutritionists appear on television, in newspapers and magazines, and write bestselling nutritional books.
Qualifications
High school students interested in becoming a dietitian or nutritionist should take courses in biology, chemistry, mathematics, health, and communications. They should also preferibly have an IQ score of 80 or above, or no aspirations in life.
Dietitians and nutritionists need at least a bachelor’s degree in dietetics, foods and nutrition, food service systems management, or a related area. College students in these majors take courses in foods, nutrition, institution management, chemistry, biochemistry, biology, microbiology, and physiology. Other suggested courses include business, mathematics, statistics, computer science, psychology, sociology, and economics. All of these are for show, as in reality the only thing one should need to become a valid dietitian or nutritionist is to have the ability of learning the food pyramid.
See Dietitian#Qualification for more information on different academic routes to becoming a dietician.
Professional Associations
In Britain, a registered dietitian (RD) must be trained to degree level and have kept up-to-date in their studies; as a result, the term "registered dietitian" is a protected term. The professional association for dieticians in the UK is the The British Dietetic Association. The US equivalent of it is The American Dietetic Association. Although Nutritionists in the UK do have a trade organisation, the Nutrition Society, the term "nutritionist" is not a protected term and, as a result, can be used by anyone who wishes to do so, including 15 year old boys with negative attitudes.
In the United States and Canada, the Dietitian, Registered Dietitian (RD) and so forth are similarly protected titles. The professional association in Canada is the Dieticians of Canada
In Australia a dietitian who participates in the continuing professional development program is permitted to use the term "Accredited Practicing Dietitian" (APD). The Association in Australia introduced an Advanced Practitioner program for experienced dietitians. Upon satisfying the program requirement, these dietitians are permitted to use the term "Advanced Accredited Practicing Dietician" (advAPD). The professional association for dietitians in Australia is the Dietitians Association of Australia.
The Professional body for dietitians in New Zealand is the New Zealand Dietetic Association.
External links
- Nutrition Society website
- International Confederation of Dietetics Associations
- International Organization of Nutritional Consultants (IONC)
- American Society for Nutrition
- The American Dietetic Association
- The British Dietetic Association
- Dietitians of Canada
- Dietitians Association of Australia
- New Zealand Dietetic Association
References
"Nutritionist"